Photo Galleries

Vines Thriving on the Gimblett Gravels

The Gimblett Gravels in New Zealand is one of the most exciting areas in the world right now for Bordeaux style reds and Syrah. A river bed exposed by an ancient flood gives vines twenty feet plus of pure gravel to get their roots into!

Gimblett Gravel Soil (Or Lack There Of)

Craggy Range Gimblett Gravels Vineyard

This vineyard produces the stunning Sophia and Le Sol, two of Craggy Range's and indeed New Zealand's Flagship wines!

Mt. Difficulty's Templar's Hill Vineyard, Central Otago

The Majestic Rippon Vineyard, Lake Wanaka, Central Otago

Thankfully the wines from Rippon live up to the vineyards unparalleled beauty. The vines are all planted on their own root stock, have been farmed organically since planting (30 years) and now have been Biodynamic for 10+ years. Wanaka is the coolest site included within the Central Otago region and Rippon's wines are incredibly elegant and complex.

Craggy Range Winery from Te Mata Peak

Te Mata Peak stands towering over Craggy Range winery. From the top of this rugged out crop you can see most of Hawkes Bay. The Gimblett Gravels to the north and Cape Kidnappers to the south.

Te Mata Peak from the Tasting Room at Craggy Range

The exact opposite view than the last picture, looking back to the "Craggy Range" from which the winery takes it's name.

Perfect grapes at Te Mata Estate

Grapes waiting on the crush pad at Te Mata Estate.

Clouds hanging in the Gibston Valley, Central Otago

The Gibston Valley is a very dramatic area. Vineyards cling to terraces in this deep gorge cutting through snow capped mountains.

Neudorf Winery, Nelson

These are the beautiful old wooden buildings that house Neudorf Winery. Tim and Judy Finn set up this incredible winery on the site of an old Hippy Commune in 1978.

Cross Section of the Unique Soil at Neudorf

The Moutere Hills in which Neudorf is located has incredibly deep gravel-threaded clay soil shown here. It has very low fertility but enough water retention to get the vines in sync.

Te Whare Ra Winery

Our first Direct Import from New Zealand. Te Whare Ra (TWR) is a small family run Organic / Biodynamic winery in the Renwick area of Marlborough. The wines are simply stunning!

Cowley Vineyard, Marlborough

The Cowley Vineyard is planted up into the hills over looking the Wairau Plains in Marlborough. This place produces some seriously good Pinot such as Pyramid Valley's Growers Collection Pinot

Marlborough's 'other' Valley, Awatere

The cooler coastal Awatere Valley is famous for it's pungent gooseberry and bell pepper notes that it can impart in Sauvignon Blanc grown here. However lower yields and careful viticulture are now making sure these green nuances and nothing more than nuances!

Barrel Room at Esk Valley Winery

The distinctly low-tech winery at Esk Valley, complete with beer bottle ferm bungs, takes nothing away from the fact that I think they produce some of the most complex and intersting wines in Villa Maria's portfolio.

Cement Fermenters at Esk Valley Winery, Hawkes Bay

Everything is done pretty old school at Esk Valley, the reds are hand plunged in open top cement fermenters. Their Gimblett Gravels Bordeaux blend is dynamite!

Wildlife in the Cellar

Red Till Dead

For a barrel there's no going back!

Te Mata Peak

One more final view of Te Mata Peak as the morning coastal fog clears for another beautiful Hawkes Bay day.